Brass thief damages historic Philadelphia building

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Officials say a metal thief damaged an exterior staircase at a historically significant building in downtown Philadelphia.

The theft of a 6-foot section of brass railing from the Union League of Philadelphia sent brick and stone tumbling to the sidewalk.

Union League marketing director Erica Martin says surveillance cameras recorded a man approaching the organization's grand curved staircase just after 3 a.m. Monday. Officials are waiting on a repair estimate, but Martin says it will be restored quickly.

The Union League of Philadelphia was founded in 1862 to support President Abraham Lincoln's policies. Today, it's a buttoned-down private club for business and political leaders.

The group's 151-year-old French Renaissance-style building sits a couple blocks from City Hall. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.